W&S Motorsport survives the heated battle of the GT4 European Series on the Côte d'Azur
For the second weekend on June 4th and 5th, 2022, the GT4 European Series invited to the 5.7 km long Circuit Paul Ricard in southern France, where a total of 50 GT4 cars took part in rounds 3 and 4 of the season started. After both races, the Porsche Cayman GT4 from W&S Motorsport saw the checkered flag on solid positions and the Am crew of the AVIA racing Cayman #37 just missed a podium place in the class.
The high temperatures made the competition a challenge for man and material, especially on Saturday. The air temperature was over 30°C and the asphalt temperature was 41°C, and the cockpits really turned into a sauna. Apparently, the flat, high-speed circuit did not suit the Porsche Cayman GT4 under these conditions.
The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport #38 driven by Max Kronberg and Hendrik Still was damaged at the front early in the first race, which affected handling. After the driver change, Kronberg was able to adapt quickly to the changed conditions and, after a demanding race, brought the car home in 13th place in the Pro-Am classification. In the sister car #37, Andrey Solukovtsev and Mikhail Loboda drove a strong race and fought for a podium place in the Am classification. In the end, the duo had to settle for fifth place.
In the second race on Sunday, Still and Kronberg in the #38 as well as Solukovtsev and Loboda in the #37 gained a few positions after the start and as the race progressed. Finally, the Cayman GT4 #38 crossed the finish line in 7th place in the Pro-Am after one hour of racing. The #37 crossed the finish line in 28th place and 4th in the amateur standings, just a second behind third place and just shy of another podium finish.
Daniel Schellhaas, Team Principal W&S Motorsport: “On Saturday there were numerous incidents in the race from which we were not spared and Hendrik's car was damaged early on. The weekend showed once again how hard the fight is and how close the series is. In the second race, a podium finish in the Am category was within reach, but the speed of the Porsches on this track was obviously not there. Misano should suit us better, so I'm positive that we'll be up there again."
Andrey Solukovtsev, driver #37: “It's been a few days since the first weekend, so we had to find our rhythm first. The team gave us a lot of support and helped us quickly regain the pace we needed. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite enough for a podium this time, but we were able to take a lot of points in the fight for the Am championship, in which we are doing very well."
Max Kronberg, driver #38: “The conditions on both days were extreme and correspondingly exhausting. Even though I'm satisfied with my performance, the race results are ultimately disappointing. However, more did not seem to have been possible with the Cayman in Le Castellet. If we start in Italy in four weeks, the chances for good results will certainly be much better again.”
The third station of the GT4 European Series is Misano in Italy from July 1st to 3rd, 2022. The 4.2 km long and technically demanding course on the